Preview – Difference between NO and NONE —[Multimedia-English: grammar]

NO /nəʊ/ IS AN ARTICLE - it goes before a noun

NO (=not a / not any)
- There is no sugar = there isn't any sugar
- I have no car = I don't have a car
- I have no problems = I don't have any problems

Note: NO can also be an adverb, the opposite of YES, but that's a different word and it is always used as the answer to a question:
- Do you like it? - No, I don't

NONE /nʌn/ IS A PRONOUN -it goes alone

None = No + noun

- He has two cars and I have none (= no cars)
- I bought a lot of milk, but now there is none (= no milk)
- I asked many people, but none knew it (= no people)

If the noun substituted is the word "person" or "thing" we prefer the pronouns "nobody/no one" and "nothing":

- I looked through the window but I saw nobody (not a person)
- I had everything I wanted, but now I have nothing (not a thing)

tip: if you can use "nobody" or "nothing", use them and forget about "none".

- What have you got to drink? - Nothing (not a thing)
- Who went with you? - Nobody (= not a person)
- You have four children and I have none (= no children)

Compare:

- How many beers have you got in the fridge? - None (= no beers, but maybe I have milk and water, etc)
- What have you got in the fridge? - Nothing (= not a thing, zero, empty)

NONE + of + determiner (the, my, this...)

We always use NONE before OF:

- None of the books is interesting
- None of my friends knows it
- None of us speaks French

To talk about 2 we must use NEITHER /naɪðə*/ (AmE /ni:ðər/)
- Neither of my parents and none of my brothers and sisters are here.

Note: Many grammarians discuss if when using NONE we must use the verb always in the singular or we can also use it in the plural. Since they don't agree, don't worry about it, but if you want to play it safe, use it always in the singular:

- None of my friends likes jazz (OK)
- None of my friends like jazz (ok, but some people think it's wrong)